Get the Grooming Goods: Curry Brushes

It's not for dinner — a curry brush's a rubber tool that you use in circular motions to remove loose hair like a magnet and stimulate the skin like a massage. My hands-down fave is the Kong Zoom Groom for dogs or cats (both $7). It eliminates North's pesky flakes on his black fur and encourages blood flow near the skin. Curry brushes also encourage production of natural oils to keep skin healthy and coats glossy.

To learn more about why I added it to my arsenal, read more.

The curry style doesn't pull my dog's hair and he'll sit way longer with this than the Furminator. It's like gentle fingers giving him a friendly rub but with great grooming purposes. I alternate a Zoom Groom with my hands during North's bath time — it really lathers up and scrubs down the skin of my short-haired breed.

I haven't tried this, but I think I will have to get one, especially for bath time. There is another cool grooming tool I use called the Furminator. It really helps get loose hairs out and reduce shedding. Makes the coat appear more shiny too!

I bought one of these for my chihuahuas and it's great. My dogs are small of course and even when I buy cat brushes, it's always difficult to get the spots around my dogs' necks and around their little legs without bumping their knees or whatever with the hard brush. With the Zoom Groom, I still have a little difficulty get into the little spots, but at least if I bump a bony little knee, it's a soft, rubbery bump.